And I Feel Fine
by genevra
Summary: It was the fight to end all fights but now, will it end a marriage too? A future DanielBetty fic.
1. I Can't See What's Going On

**Ugly Betty  
****And I Feel Fine**

**A/N:** This is my first 'Ugly Betty' story. Also, I'm an Australian and we are only up to episode fifteen which is 'Brothers' so we are a far bit behind (as always) which will mean the storyline is different to what you've seen. Hope you like it. Happy reading.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own nor am I affiliated with Ugly Betty in anyway. Also don't own the lyrics to Damien Rice's 'Cannonball.' I wish I did but.

* * *

Chapter One: I Can't See What's Going On

* * *

_There's still a little bit of your taste in my mouth  
There's still a little bit of you laced with my doubt  
It's still a little hard to say what's going on_

'_Cannonball.' __**Damien Rice.**_

_Swish._

She stood outside the building that had offered her the very best and the very worst moments of her life.

_Swish._

She stood outside the building that had started her career, ended it then revived it yet again

_Swish._

She stood outside the building that had been there for as long as anyone could remember and would be there for longer still

_Swish._

She stood outside the building that held the man she loved but who loved her no longer.

_Swish._

She stood outside the building and watched people rolling in and out of the revolving door, wondering how they had the strength to walk in, forgetting that they didn't have as much at stake as she did, forgetting that the burden they had to carry was not so rough.

_Swish._

She stood outside the building and wondered how long it would take to build up the strength she needed to enter.

_And finally, swwwiiiissshhh._

With a smile pasted on and an extra ounce of confidence in her step, she laid her hand on the cool pane of glass and pushed, following the gold gilt that went around in an arch. Eventually, she was met with a cool gust of air and found that she was outside again.

'_Enough, Betty,'_ she scolded herself. _'You can do this. You are not the person you used to be. They are not better than you.'_

And then she breathed in deeply and walked briskly back into the door but this time, she found herself standing in a room made of marble. She nodded calmly to the man standing behind the desk and he nodded gravely back. Then she made her way to the elevator and entered, pressing the button and allowing the door to slam shut in front of her.

_Too late to back out now._

-

"Marc, is that who I think it is?" Amanda asked, picking up a handful of cashews from the bowl on her desk and shoving them into her mouth. As she crunched them, a raven-haired beauty walked towards them looking both casual and sophisticated in a pair of wide-legged black pants, a white t-shirt and black sling-backs. Her skin was flawless, her hair was straight and was without even a touch of frizz, the braces had been removed from her teeth and had left her with a mouth of pearly, white teeth. She wasn't skinny but she was undoubtedly skinnier than she had been even after the birth of two children.

"I think it might be," Marc squeaked. "Quick, duck!"

Betty rolled her eyes as she spotted them. She walked up to the desk and put her elbows on it before leaning over and watched them cowering.

"Hey guys. You drop something?" she asked, keeping her voice calm and measured.

"Sure did but I've got it now," March chuckled nervously. He patted a non-existent item into his pocket then stood up, pulling Amanda up with him. The circular desk seemed to swim around her petite frame making it seem larger and her seem smaller but as Betty studied her harder, she saw the swell of her stomach not quite hidden under her desk.

"Amanda, you look really pregnant now," she sputtered. Amanda seemed to roll her whole face in the way that only she knew how.

"I know. Isn't it great?" she muttered sarcastically. "Soon I'll be too fat to even walk in the door. I'll be fired for sure."

"No you won't, honey," Marc gushed, going into automatic flattery mode as he had been doing for the past sixteen weeks. He got a slightly evil glint in his eye as he eyed Betty up and down. "Betty used to weigh much more and she got to stay."

"Thank you, Marc," Betty replied, rolling her eyes. She shifted her position so only her hands were touching the desk. "I didn't come here to trade insults. Is Daniel here?"

"I haven't seen him in awhile. Have you seen him, Amanda?" Marc asked.

"Marc, don't you think this whole hating me thing is a bit passé now? I have known you for seven years," Betty mused. "Is he here or not?"

"You know the way," Amanda snarled. She pointed a perfectly manicured hand down the hall. With a smile and a raise of the eyebrows, Betty turned on her heel and walked off.

"I hate her," Marc huffed.

"So do I. She's so perfect and she looks good. I just look like a bloated whale, not to mention these damn hormones," Amanda sighed. She gazed wistfully at a framed photo of her and Marc, looking fabulous and skinny. "Marc, tell me I'm still beautiful and that one day a man is going to love me…"

-

Betty made her way down the hallway. Just after she exited the hallway, she was all but jumped on by a tall but disturbingly skinny brunette.

"Hi. Who are you?" asked the lady who had accosted her.

"I'm Betty," she answered.

"Right. What are you doing? Only employees are allowed back here," the woman smirked. "Mr. Meade's rules."

"As a matter of fact, I am here to see Daniel," Betty answered. "And not that it is any of your business but I actually write a lot of the feature articles in Mode so I am an employee.

"Do you have an appointment to see Mr. Meade?" the girl asked.

"I don't have an appointment to see Mr. Meade," Betty answered with a small smile, amused that the girl didn't call him 'Daniel.'

"Then I'm afraid you aren't going to be able to see him today," the girl answered with a snotty smile.

"You must be Daniel's new assistant. What's your name?" Betty asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hannah," the girl answered.

"Well, Hannah, I don't need an appointment to see Daniel and I am not leaving until I do," she said. "So we can do this the easy way or the hard way. The easy way involves me walking straight past you and into his office right now but the hard way involves a bit of work on your behalf including doing that thing where you ring his office and he pretends to be busy and asks you to make some lame excuse for him not seeing whoever is at his door. It doesn't matter which way we do it because you won't win."

"I'll do it the hard way," Hannah answered icily. Betty shrugged and fell into step behind the tall, lanky woman and followed her to the very desk that she herself used to sit at. Betty looked up through the glass and saw Daniel standing behind his desk, looking out the window. Hannah took her seat and lifted up the phone. Daniel answered without even looking up and Hannah spoke so quietly that Betty had to lean in to hear what she was saying but she could still hardly hear. She knew her name wasn't mentioned so she wasn't surprised when Hannah lifted her head and gave a triumphant smile. "He can't see you right now. He's busy."

"Hannah, I can see very clearly that he isn't doing anything," Betty protested.

"Sorry. Nothing I can do about it," Hannah shrugged.

"This is ridiculous," Betty muttered. She tugged on her pearl necklace until it was in the right position then she brushed an imaginary hair out of her face, both characteristics from her younger years that she hadn't lost. "I'm going in."

"You can't just go in!" Hannah squealed.

"Watch me," Betty replied. She left her handbag and coat on Hannah's desk, out of habit, and stalked towards his office door. When she got there, she froze with her hands on the metal doorknob.

"_I can't believe you think that about me, Betty. You of all people should know me better than that,"_ the words popped into her head.

The fight they had had happened months ago now but it had been brutal and it had the ability to find its way into her head at any given moment. She had always had a good memory, had always been able to recollect information at a moment's notice but there were some things, like The Fight, that she wished she could forget. Luck just wasn't on her side this time. It hadn't been for quite awhile. But she had to push on so she shoved the thoughts out of her head and without thinking about it, she pushed on the door and felt it give way before her.

Daniel looked up as she entered and when he saw her, his face paled.

"I told Hannah I couldn't see anyone," he offered lamely. She walked in and sat in the orange chair across from his desk.

"I told her I didn't care," Betty replied. She crossed her legs and folded her arms over her chest. "Listen, we need to talk about some things."

"Not here, Betty," he replied, his voice soft and quiet.

"Where then?" she snapped. She uncrossed her arms and leant forwards. She rested her hands on the top of the desk and banged them against the glass when she needed to make a point. "Daniel, I can't seem to get you to talk to me anywhere. I have tried calling you, I have gone to your apartment, I have followed you to functions and parties and dinners but you just won't listen to me but that's not going to cut it anymore. Do you have any idea what it is like to hear your daughters ask me when their Daddy is coming home or to have someone ask me how my husband is? I don't know when Daddy is coming home and I don't how my husband is because I haven't seen or talked to him in three months. Daniel, you haven't set foot inside _our_ house in three months! Do you realise it has been that long?"

"Of course I realised," he yelled. "Betty, I am not ignorant."

"I know you aren't," she said quickly, knowing how soon things could blow up again. "Look, Daniel, I don't want a repeat of that night. I don't want to fight with you. I just want some answers and I'm prepared to sit here until I get them."

"I can't give you any answers, Betty," he whispered.

"That just isn't good enough, Daniel," she whispered back. "I need answers so I can decide what to do. I need to know so I can make decisions about our girls' futures and my own."

"What do you mean about your own future?" Daniel asked, his interest finally peaked.

"I'm talking about divorce," she answered calmly. Her face was serene and void of all emotion which was completely unlike Betty Meade.

"You're still wearing your rings," Daniel noted. He watched as the fingers from her right hand twisted her wedding and engagement bands around her left ring finger. His own plain gold band still rested on his own ring finger having not been removed since their wedding five years earlier. She thought it was a good sign, a reassuring sign that it was still there and he thought the same thing.

"I wouldn't dream of removing them until we decide what to do," Betty admitted. "Until we get a divorce, that's if we get a divorce, I am still your wife."

Betty was such a simple, traditional girl and Daniel had always admired that about her. They had discussed options for her last name before they had gotten married. Daniel had admitted he always assumed his wife would take his name but he understood if Betty wanted to stay Betty Suarez or even become Betty Suarez-Meade because he knew how important her family was and how much love there was between them but she had been adamant that she would do the traditional thing and become Betty Meade. It was a slightly old-fashioned sounding name that would have better suited someone his mother's age but she wore it with pride and he loved to say it, rolling the words around his tongue as often as he could.

'_Did you hear that, Daniel? She called me Mrs. Meade. Betty Meade. Mrs. Daniel Meade,' she had gushed the first time someone called her by her married name, her new name. He had kissed her in delight and they had grinned the whole way through their meal._

"How did we let things get this bad?" he asked, his voice pained. He saw a flash of the same pain in his wife's eyes as she shrugged back.

"I don't know. We just did. You were never good at dealing with things and I was never good at letting go," she answered. He knew she meant letting go of the horrible things they had said. "Daniel, I just need to know where things stand. For the girls' sakes."

"I don't know where things stand," he admitted. "But I don't want a divorce. It was one fight, Betty. We should be able to get through this."

"Then come home," she pleaded with her voice, her eyes, her entire body and her heart.

"I don't think I can do that either…"

"But the girls, Daniel. Just come and see the girls. They miss you," Betty whispered, blinking back tears. She looked up and caught Daniel watching her. He nodded emphatically.

"I will come and see the girls," he agreed. "I won't be the same kind of parent that my father was."

"_You are just like your father!"_

But she had already accused him of that too.

-

_Swish._

She stood back outside the building that had offered her the very best and the very worst moments of her life.

_Swish._

She stood back outside the building that had started her career, ended it then revived it yet again.

_Swish._

She stood back outside the building that had been there for as long as anyone could remember and would be there for longer still.

_Swish._

She stood back outside the building that held the man she loved and who might still love her back.

_Swish._

She stood back outside the building and wondered if she had made the right decision in coming. She hadn't left with any answers nor had she left with any hope. She had hardly made any progress at all, apart from getting Daniel to visit his daughters.

_Swish._

She stood outside the building and wondered how long it would take for things to go back to the way they had been and if they ever would.

_Swish._

She heard the door one last time before she stalked away from the building and closer to the crowded curb. A small gap opened up and she quickly swept through it and found her way to the black town car that was waiting for her. A uniformed man opened it up for her and she thanked him before sliding graciously in.

"Where to, Mrs. Meade?" the driver asked.

"Home, please," she answered, settling in to the plush caramel leather. She lowered her voice and looked out the window. "Just get me home."


	2. Who's Gonna Tell You?

**Ugly Betty**

**And I Feel Fine**

**A/N:** This is my first 'Ugly Betty' story. Also, I'm an Australian and we are only up to episode fifteen which is 'Brothers.' I don't really like this chapter as much as the first but that's okay. Happy reading.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own nor am I affiliated with Ugly Betty in anyway. I also don't own the lyrics to 'Drive.' They belong to The Cars.

* * *

Chapter Two: Who's Gonna Tell You

* * *

_You __can't go on  
__Thinkin'  
Nothings wrong, but bye,  
Who's gonna drive you home, tonight?_

'_**Drive.' **__The Cars._

The elevator ride up to the penthouse had never seemed so long. It was such a cliché, the editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine living in a penthouse. True, it wasn't in one of the trendier apartment buildings. Betty would never have gone for that. She had more money than she had ever even seen in her life and she could afford to live anywhere she wanted but she refused to let go of the family values her father had taught her so she chose a building that had lots of families and even had a preschool on one of the lower floors so that their future children (they had none at the time) would grow up with their close friends.

He missed it here. Missed the long elevator ride up to the top, missed walking down the hallway and opening the door. He missed having Betty walk out from the bathroom or a bedroom with a child on her hip or a toothbrush hanging from her mouth and he missed the kiss and smile she greeted him with. It hadn't been that long ago. Only three months and it would have been a shorter time if only one of them would give in. In seconds, the hurt, the pain and the confusion of the last few months could be erased and they could go back to normal. Or maybe it had been too long and they could never fix what they had unnecessarily and unexpectedly broken. Betty was supposed to be different from his other girls. She had been different. She had been his wife and he loved her. But now, who knew?

"_I'm home!" Daniel yelled after letting himself into the family apartment._

"_Shh!" Betty hissed, running out into the hall and down to meet him. She covered his mouth with her hand and spoke furiously. "I just got Iris asleep and I will not have you waking her up. You have no idea how long it took."_

"_Sorry," he squeaked through her clamped hand. He calmly reached up and slowly pulled her hand off his face. "That was beginning to hurt."_

"_Oh. Sorry," she apologised sheepishly. She stood up on her tip-toes to kiss her husband on the lips. He returned the kiss and then slipped his arm around her waist, leading her to the bedroom. She flopped onto the bed and watched as he changed out of his blue suit into track-pants and a grey t-shirt. "How was work?"_

"_It was your average day," he shrugged. "How was your day?"_

"_Average," she mimicked. "I waited for you to have dinner."_

"_You shouldn't have," he frowned. "I told you I was going to be late."_

"_I waited for you to have dinner and then I got so hungry, I couldn't wait any longer," she added. "But I did wait for you to have dessert."_

"_Fruit and ice-cream?" he asked, used to his wife's eating habits. It wasn't unusual to watch her eat a meringue or pastry for breakfast and then have something as simple as fruit for dessert._

"_Daniel," she said, rolling her eyes. "Fruit isn't a dessert, remember? You taught me that."_

"_Well then, my little fruit-eater, what are we having for dessert?" he asked, sitting next to her on the bed. She moved so her head was on his shoulder and he ran a hand down her body._

"_Churros with chocolate that my father made for us," she announced. "I just have to heat the chocolate up and they'll be ready."_

"_Do you think it's strange that we have a cook but you or someone in your family does most of the cooking for us?" Daniel asked. Betty shrugged and shifted slightly._

"_I'm used to cooking and I'm used to my dad's cooking. Mrs. Freud cooks some weird stuff," Betty intoned. "I mean, who really eats borscht? We are American, not Russian. And isn't Freud a German name? I thought that the Russians and the Germans were like mortal enemies so it seems to me that our German cook shouldn't be cooking Russian food."_

"_You think too much," Daniel informed her. He kissed her on the forehead and then jumped up. He held his hand out to her and she entwined hers with his. He looked down at her and smirked as their hands swung in the air. "You know there is more than one way to feed your husband."_

"_Right. Let him feed himself or do it for him," she quipped. She stood up and shoved him lightly. "Let's go get you fed, Mr. Meade."_

How he missed those moments. Just small typical moments that every wife and husband enjoyed but instead of having them, he was another cliché. The rich man keeping his wife and children in a fortress while he inhabited the same old bachelor pad he had once lived in. He and Betty had lived there for awhile but soon the ghosts (and various objects such as a lipstick, a perfume bottle and a three-year-old pair of underwear) of all his old women began to make themselves known and Betty put her foot down and demanded that they move. After they had had The Fight, however, he had moved back in there. Betty's presence was indefinitely stamped on it but there were so many other presences that he found it did his head in. But to his credit, there had not been another woman in there since his wife and there never would be after her. How could he taint the house she had so desperately tried to make their own?

The elevator doors opened with a 'ding' and Daniel stepped out and was greeted with an empty white-tiled hallway. Daniel frowned. Normally the walls were covered in the artwork of their children. The umbrella stand filled to the brim with umbrellas and other various objects stood in the corner and the mirror was still perched a few meters down the hall but the artwork was gone. He tried to shrug it off as he stuck his key in the lock and turned. The door gave way immediately and he stepped into his warm apartment.

"Betty?" he called, leaving his overcoat and briefcase at the front door.

"Daddy!" he heard a voice squeal. A tiny girl with dark brown hair and even darker brown eyes sprinted down the hall and into her father's waiting open arms.

"Hey," he enthused, picking her up. She covered his face with feather-like kisses as he carried her down the hall to the living room. He set her down on the couch and looked up to see Betty standing in a doorway, holding a smaller version of his daughter. The baby eyed him warily and then beamed at him.

"Are you happy to see your daddy, are you?" Betty cooed. She placed the girl on the ground and helped her become steady on her feet. "Show Daddy how you can walk, Carmen."

"She's walking now?" Daniel asked, his eyes getting slightly misty.

"Just short distances but she's good at it," Betty answered as eleven-month-old Carmen tottered around on her small feet. "Call her over."

Daniel kissed four-year-old Iris on her forehead then crawled around the lounge and stood in the gap between the lounge and the wall.

"Come to Daddy," he cooed as the toddler wobbled around. She was unsteady on her feet and unsure of whether to go to him but after looking at Betty one last time, she crept towards him and into his arms. He picked her up and hugged her to him. Iris jumped on his back from the edge of the couch and threw her arms around his neck. "Umm, Iris, you're kind of strangling me."

"Play with me, Daddy," she demanded, not letting go.

"You'll have to let go of him, Iris," Betty commanded gently. Iris immediately unlatched her arms and slid to the ground. Daniel moved around awkwardly, still squatting and holding Carmen, and surveyed the lounge-room floor. Toys of all shapes and sizes littered the rug and Daniel inwardly groaned. He loved his children, he really did, but he was not good at playing dolls and that was all Iris wanted to do at that stage.

"Come on, Daddy. You can be the pink doll. Her name is Rosita and I'll be Julia," she grinned.

"Who will Carmen be?" Daniel asked. The two had come to a compromise with names. They would take turns choosing names. Daniel had picked first and chosen Iris Luisa after his grandmother and for his wife's 'Spanish' heritage while Betty had chosen Carmen Ivonne because she liked the names at the time. Her heritage, she swore, had never even come into it and besides, she was Mexican.

"Daniel, if you're going to be here awhile, can I go and finish my make-up?" Betty asked.

He looked up and it was then that he noticed Betty's white strapless dress. It was knee-length and had black beads around the neck and hemlines. Daniel had never seen it before and he frowned slightly. She looked beautiful, that wasn't it, it was that in the last three months she had bought new things that he hadn't seen. He hated not being a part of her life even though he knew it was his fault.

"_I can't bear to touch you, Daniel," she whispered. "I just cannot bear to touch you right now."_

"_I guess I should go then," he said. She whimpered and shook her head but he stood up and walked out of the bedroom anyway._

"Daniel?" she called again. He cleared his throat and pasted a smile on his face.

"Sure," he answered.

"Thanks," she grinned. "Christina is having her launch party tonight and I'm hosting. It's been ages since I've left the house so I am dying to go."

"Yeah, I know. I got an invitation," Daniel replied. "Who's going to watch the girls?"

"I was going to leave them with Georgia," Betty answered, referring to their downstairs neighbour. "She owes me for that time I watched McKenna."

"I can stay with them if you like," Daniel offered. "I don't have any plans anyway."

"I thought you would be going to the party," Betty said.

"She won't mind if I'm not there. You're the one she really wants to see anyway and besides, they are my daughters," he replied.

"But Daniel, I don't think I've ever left them alone with you before," Betty mused, knowing full well that they had been left in his care uneventfully a million times before. "Are you sure you can handle it?"

"I know how to take care of my own children," he sighed. Betty shrugged and raised an eyebrow. He rolled his own eyes back at her. "Come on, Betty. I can do this. You know I can do this."

"Okay then," she sing-songed, clearly dubious about his capabilities. "If you're sure."

"I am sure," he settled. "Now go and finish getting ready."

Betty waltzed off in her dress and bare feet and returned awhile later in black heels and her make-up finished. She surveyed the scene that sat before her. Daniel was squawking in his version of a girl's voice as Iris laughed hysterically and Carmen sat with her feet to the couch chewing on her fingers. Betty felt her heart swell and then fall. She lived for moments like these but until know, they always came with a feeling of happiness that lasted. Now, she was happy for a brief moment and then she felt loss. But tonight wasn't about that. Tonight was about her going out, having fun and supporting her friend and tonight was about Daniel spending time with his children so she cleared her throat and soldiered on.

"How do I look?" she asked. She waited until both Iris and Daniel had their attention fixed on her and then she twirled.

"You look beautiful, Mama," Iris sighed dreamily. She walked over to Daniel and backed into his arms. He locked his arms around her. She tilted her head up to him, her breath tickled his skin as she talked. "Doesn't Mummy look pretty?"

"You really do look beautiful," Daniel agreed.

"Oh, thank you, guys," Betty beamed. She switched back into 'Mum' mode. "Okay, Daniel. The girls have already eaten and had a bath. Carmen will probably go to sleep in about an hour, Iris in about two. Because it's a special occasion, you guys can stay up and watch a movie. You have my number if anything goes wrong and you know where the take-out menus are so I guess you are all set."

"Umm, Betty," Daniel said cautiously.

"Mmm," she replied.

"I do know these things," he said.

"Of course you do," she answered sheepishly. She wiped her forehead and sighed. "I'm sorry. It's not you. I just hate leaving them."

"I know but they are going to be fine," he replied. "I won't let anything happen to them."

"I know you wont," she said and then sighed again. Daniel gently moved Iris off his lap and stood up to meet Betty. He took her hand in both of his.

"Hey," he whispered. "Don't worry so much. Let me do the worrying for once."

"Okay," she answered. She left her hand in his as she checked her watch. "Oh my gosh. I am going to be late. Iris, come and give me a kiss good-bye."

Daniel let her hand slip slowly through his. They kept their eyes on each other and he crinkled his eyes at her like he often did and she smiled back until she felt Iris's hand tugging on her dress.

"Is Daddy going to stay over tonight?" she asked. "Because I miss him."

"Daddy can stay if he wants but it is up to him," Betty answered. She knelt down and pulled her eldest child into a hug. "You be good for your father, okay? And brush your teeth and go to bed when he asks you too."

"Yes, Mummy," Iris said, rolling her eyes and wiggling out of her mother's grasp. She swapped between calling Betty 'Mummy' and 'Mama.' Not that it bothered her.

"Te quiero," Betty said.

"Te quiero," Iris replied with gusto. Betty kissed her quickly on the forehead and then stood up. She walked over to Carmen who was still facing the couch. She quickly picked the little bundle up. "Daniel, please try not to forget that you have more than one daughter."

"I'll try," he grinned.

"Carmen doesn't make as much noise as Iris so it's easy to forget her. I do sometimes," Betty explained. Daniel could tell that she was slowly talking herself out of going so he intervened quickly. He pried Carmen out of her arms and gently prodded her towards the door. Iris went back to her dolls and waited impatiently for her father's imminent return.

"Don't worry about the girls," he said, one last time.

"Daniel, slow down. You are going to make me trip over," she cried, jogging awkwardly in her heels. He slowed down slightly and she quickly thanked him. When they made it to the door, she paused and opened her mouth to argue one last time but after one look from him, she relented. "Okay, okay. You're right. Everything will be fine."

"Exactly. And you really do look beautiful," he answered. Her face softened.

"Thank you and thanks for watching the girls," she said. She tenderly ran her hand down the side of Carmen's face and then kissed her on the cheek. "Good night, little one."

"We'll see you later," Daniel said. She leant over and kissed him on the cheek, caught up for a brief moment in time. How many times had they done this before? Would they ever do it again. When she smiled at him and walked out the door and then found him grabbing her hand and pulling her back around so he could return the kiss, she knew that eventually, they would.

And for a moment, it felt like everything was okay. It felt like there was nothing wrong. And there was no-one to tell her any differently so for the first time in awhile, she felt hope. How could hope be wrong?


	3. Strangers On a Crazy Adventure

**Ugly Betty**

**And I Feel Fine**

**A/N:** You are just the best reviewers ever. Thank you so much! I know that updates are rather regular at the moment but they won't always be. I just have some spare-time right now so enjoy it while it lasts. Happy reading!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own nor am I affiliated with Ugly Betty in anyway. I also don't own the lyrics to 'At the Beginning' or 'Vision of Love.' They belong to Donna Lewis & Richard Marx and Mariah Carey, respectively.

* * *

Chapter Three: Strangers on a Crazy Adventure

* * *

_We were strangers, starting out on a journey  
Never dreaming, what we'd have to go through  
Now here we are, I'm suddenly standing  
At the beginning with you  
_

'_At the Beginning.' __**Donna Lewis and Richard Marx.**_

"_Could you ever love a guy like me?" Daniel asked, the seriousness of the question etched across his face. Betty, however, didn't see his face. She was too busy chewing on the end of her pen as her eyes scrawled the text in front of her._

"_Daniel, right now, I cant love any guy and for the life of me, I cant find what the mistake is," she answered, the hint of a smile crossing her lips._

"_Could you ever date a guy like me then? Or marry a guy like me?" he asked again. Betty looked up and her face creased in confusion._

"_Are you asking me to marry you?" she parried back. Daniel smiled when he heard her. She had been a whole lot of fun tonight and she seemed relaxed. Things had just become more comfortable with the two, they had become closer and he was sure it wasn't just him who had noticed._

"_No," he smiled. "I am, however, asking you to dinner with me."_

"_Dinner with the boss, hey? Aren't you afraid that people will think I'm the favourite?" she replied._

"_You are my favourite," he answered, his voice was soft and gentle. Betty froze and fixed her attention on him fully. "Betty, I'm not asking you to dinner as my assistant, I am asking you to dinner as my date."_

"_You want to take me out on a date? You, Daniel Meade, want to take me, Ugly Betty Suarez, on a date?" she guffawed. He had to be kidding her._

"_You are not ugly," he snapped immediately. He glared at her and shook his head. "I can't believe that you of all people think that."_

"_I don't think that," she answered quietly, lowering her head slightly. She felt his gaze on her so she lifted her head again. "I don't think that but I always thought that you did."_

"_I don't think you are ugly. I think you are beautiful," he said simply. She smiled and he raised his eyebrow. "So, how about that dinner?"_

"_Only if I get to pick where to go," she replied after only a moment's hesitation._

"_And only if I get to pay," he added._

"_That's fine with me," Betty answered. She smiled and went back to her work. He watched for a while and then she lifted her head to meet his gaze. "And by the way, I think you are the kind of man I could love. I hope that's the answer you were looking for."_

"I had a vision of love and it was all that you've given me. I had a vision of love and it was all that you turned out to be," Betty sang as she walked down the hallway of the apartment and into the kitchen. She switched on a light and flung her bag down onto the kitchen table before busying herself with getting a glass of water. She sang the whole time and giggled when the glass nearly slipped from her grasp. She whispered to herself, "You've got to be a bit more careful, Betty."

"I'll say," a voice said from the darkness. She looked over to see Daniel sleepily walk out from the lounge room. He sat down at the dining table. Betty removed her heels and then finished getting her glass and a piece of bread before going to join him. "Is there a reason you were singing a Mariah Carey song?"

"Is there a reason you know it's a Mariah Carey song?" Betty asked. Without waiting for his answer, she soldiered on. "Mariah Carey performed at the party. She wore one of Christina's dresses to the Grammy's. You know, the maroon silk evening gown with the black feathers?"

Daniel nodded. Being the editor in-chief of a fashion magazine for seven years meant it was okay he knew exactly which dress Mariah Carey had worn to the Grammy's.

"Oh, Daniel, it was so awesome. I had the best time. I had a bit too much champagne but, I think. I don't know. The floor is spinning which is an issue because I'm sitting down but it was so much fun. I wish you could have been there. Mariah Carey was so great. I have loved her forever. And about an hour into the party, Amanda got into a fight with the father only no-one else knew he was the father except for me so they were all surprised that she even looked at him, let alone had a huge, major fight with him," Betty said, her eyes gleaming unusually. She normally hated confrontation of every kind, unless it was necessary, but this had made her night.

"So, who is the father anyway?" Daniel asked sneakily. He hoped that Betty's tipsy state would make her open up. He was soon disappointed.

"You know I can't tell you and just because I am drunk, doesn't mean I am going to tell you," she babbled. "I promised Amanda and you know it."

"You and Amanda hate each other," he argued. "Besides, everybody knows that when someone tells you a secret, you are allowed to tell your husband or significant other."

"Not this time," Betty corrected. "Amanda made me swear that I wouldn't tell you. I don't know why. Maybe because of that time that you two slept together. I don't know but she doesn't want me to tell you. And it's not true that we hate each other. We talk all the time."

"You don't like each other," Daniel disagreed but he had a sense that he was wrong and that somehow, the two girls actually needed and depended on one another and that the way they acted was a rebellion against that. Sometimes Amanda just had to talk to someone and it just so happened that sometimes, Betty was just there.

"_Amanda, what is wrong with you?" Betty asked. Amanda twisted her face into an evil glare and lowered her voice._

"_I'll tell you what's wrong with me but I swear if you tell anyone, I will kill you," she hissed._

"_Okay," Betty replied, almost wishing she still wore glasses so she could push them back onto her face for comfort reasons. Amanda sank onto the plush seat next to Betty._

"_What I am about to tell you cannot leave this room, do you understand?" Amanda said, her voice growing softer and yet more urgent. Betty nodded again and absentmindedly played with her necklace. "I…slept with your ex."_

"_You slept with my what?" Betty screeched._

"_With your accountant. Henry. I slept with Henry and he was so good but if you tell anyone that…"_

"_You'll kill me, make my life a living hell blah, blah, blah," Betty hummed. "I've heard it all before."_

"_I guess it's good we aren't friends because if we were, you'd probably kill me," Amanda sighed. Betty responded by reaching down and squeezing Amanda's hand._

"_I have something to ask you," Betty started._

"_Yes, I'm pregnant," Amanda blurted before Betty could even ask._

"_I guess that explains the frequent trips to the bathroom and the fact that you've gone off food," Betty said calmly, taking it all in stride._

"_Shut up," Amanda groaned._

"_Have you told him?" Betty asked._

"_I can't tell him. It was only one night. He wouldn't be interested anyway," she sighed._

"_You obviously don't know Henry very well then," Betty mused. "You've got to tell him, Amanda. He has the right to know."_

"_It's my baby. I mean, I might not even have it," Amanda replied. But Betty could hear the excitement and the tenderness in her voice._

"_You love the baby already, don't you?" Betty asked, her voice warm. Amanda nodded._

"_Yes," she whispered. She sighed again and rested her head against Betty's shoulder. "You can't tell anyone who's the baby is. Even Daniel, okay?"_

"_I promise," Betty agreed. Amanda lifted her head off Betty's head briefly and glared at her._

"_Good because if you do, I still have all the photos from 'The Wall of Shame' and I am not afraid to use them," she snarled._

"_Fair enough," Betty agreed. Then two seconds later, Amanda's head was on her shoulder again. "It's all going to be okay. Really. It is."_

"We do like each other even if we act like we don't and even though she always tells people that we don't. It's sort of like we have a series of one-night stands, if you get what I mean. But she has no other friends. She only has me. People sometimes surprise you, Daniel," she said lightly.

"You're telling me," he sighed. "You really aren't going to tell me, are you?"

"Absolutely not," she answered. She yawned and finished her glass of water and ate her piece of bread. "I am so tired. I've got to go to bed."

"Hey, Betty," Daniel said before she could move.

"Yes, Daniel," she replied, patiently.

"Do you remember the first time we met?" he asked.

"I sure do," she replied.

"Did you have any idea that we would end up here, like this?" he asked. She smiled softly and shook her head. "Did you ever think that?"

"I didn't know but things just felt different after the night we crashed that wedding reception. Remember that gypsy woman who kept looking at us and saying 'in love, in love, you two are in love?' I guess I kind of felt like there was something in the glances we kept giving each other but I never knew we would end up married," she answered. "I never even hope it. A thousand young girls had crushes on you and they wanted to marry you but I just wanted to make sure you were eating properly and that all your dry-cleaning was picked up. I didn't want the diamonds and the photographers and the billion dollar wardrobe. My fairy-tale prince was always some guy who wore flannelette shirts and those sweaters that my father wears. Ugly but comfortable. You were not my dream at all."

"What changed?" he asked, even though he knew the answer because she had told him a million times before.

"You," she whispered. "You became the kind of man that I could love. And I guess I changed to because I realised what I wanted was you and not what I thought I wanted. You opened my eyes, Daniel, and you gave me the kind of amazing opportunities that my supposed dream guy could never give me. You made me see that the person I wanted to be was the person I was. No-one ever made me feel the way you do."

"Do you regret it at all?" he asked, his voice breaking.

"Never," she replied, her voice firm. She smiled and her whole face lit up. "How could I regret you? How could I regret anything that gave me our girls? The only thing I regret is these past three months."

"I'm to blame for them," he said.

"Only partly," she disagreed. "I could have tried harder to stop you and I could have come to you sooner."

"I don't blame you for not coming," he replied. She rolled her eyes.

"Stop using the word 'blame.' Who cares whose fault it is? It's nearly 3am. I certainly don't care whose fault it is, I just want to go to bed and I want you to come with me," she said. She stood up and held out a hand to Daniel. "Are you coming?"

He reached up and laced his fingers with hers, leaving their hands swinging mid-air. He let them go and his hand crashed to the table. He used his hands to push him up for the table. Betty swallowed and made her way to the bedroom. For a moment she heard silence behind her and she was worried that he would either take up residence on the couch or would leave again but just as she entered the room, she felt him behind her. He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her up against the wall. Her breath caught as they stared at each other, soaking the memory in. He moved towards her and his lips caught hers. They kissed passionately and hungrily, not caring how much noise they were making or how long they were taking. They had both missed this, had both needed this. And now it was back again.

"_I just thought you should know that I've never run a magazine before," Daniel said. Betty eyed him up and down and thought 'no surprise' but she smiled and widened her eyes._

"_I've never been an assistant to an editor in-chief either," she replied._

"_Great. We are going to fail. I can feel it," he groaned, flopping into his chair in defeat._

"_That is not the spirit to have. You are a Meade. You can do anything," Betty cheered him on, just the first in a great line of pep-talks she would have to give. "And besides, I have no intention of failing and if you fail, I fail. I just wont have it."_

"_Great," he muttered again, because he had every intention of her failing. He hated her on sight. She was unattractive and she didn't look too bright. This was going to be hell._

"I feel like I need to say sorry," Daniel said. Betty was snuggled up next to him and she murmured slightly. "I'm sorry I tried to get you to quit."

"Just go to sleep, Daniel," she sighed. "I forgave you for that a long time ago but I will not forgive you if you don't let me go to sleep."

So as his wife slept peacefully beside him, he remembered their past. When she had walked into Mode and walked into his life, he had no idea that things would end up like this. He hadn't even wanted this but now that he hadn't, he never wanted to give it away.

Fate just had a funny way of playing its hand.


	4. Trust Me On This One

**Ugly Betty**

**And I Feel Fine**

**A/N:** So I don't think this story is going to have many more chapters. It would have to be the fastest story I have ever written. I'm really enjoying it. It is such an easy story to like and everyone seems to be enjoying it too which I am thrilled about. Keep reviewing! It absolutely makes my day. Happy reading!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own nor am I affiliated with Ugly Betty in anyway. I also don't own the lyrics to 'The Moment I Said It.' They belong to Imogen Heap.

* * *

Chapter Four: Trust Me On This One (I've Got A Bad Feeling)

* * *

_The moment I said it  
The moment I opened my mouth  
Lead in your eyelids  
Bulldozed the life out of me  
I know what you're thinking  
But darling you're not thinking straight  
Sadly things just happen we can't explain_

'_**The Moment I Said It.' **__Imogen Heap._

"Daniel," Betty murmured. She rolled over so she was facing the spot where her husband should have been laying but instead she found him staring out the window. "You've been doing that a lot lately."

He turned to her and smiled softly. She sat up and patted the bed next to her. He loved how she looked in the morning when she still had bed-hair and her eyes were puffy. Today she had a crease on her cheek from a wrinkle in the pillow and he loved that too. He walked over and sat next to her then he ran his finger down the length of the crease. She closed her eyes and sighed blissfully.

"Why were you looking out the window?" she asked, her eyes still closed.

"I just missed the view, I guess," he shrugged.

"Oh, Daniel," she said, her voice breathy and sad.

"'Oh, Daniel' what?" he asked, trying to keep his voice light.

"I guess I just figured that after last night, you would stay," she shrugged. He was wearing the suit he had worn last night, having changed out of the pyjamas he had found. They had been left behind when he had left, having been in the washing pile. He looked ready to leave and even though it killed her, Betty understood why he would want to go.

"I know you did and I wish it could be like that but Betty, we said some horrible things and just because we didn't mean all of them doesn't change the fact that they were said. We need to work through those things before I can move back in," he said. Betty chewed on her bottom lip and looked everywhere but his face.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "For the things I said."

"I know you are and I'm sorry too but I don't know if that's enough anymore," he answered.

"It's not like anything we said was new. It's all stuff that has been said before," Betty argued. She was desperately trying to hang onto Daniel and he knew it.

"That's the point, Betty. I am your husband and you are my wife. We shouldn't be saying those kinds of things about each other when we both know they aren't true," he said. "Maybe there is some sort of under-lying problem here."

"The only under-lying problem here is that you won't come home because we had some silly fight," Betty retorted hotly. "There is no other under-lying problem here. Unless you regret marrying me and you are using this fight as a way to get out of the marriage."

"I don't regret marrying you," Daniel snapped. His voice was incredulous and the shock was written all over his face. "Betty, I miss you. I hate being apart from you. Being married to you is the thing that gives me the most joy. The only problem I have is that I love you too much."

"Then why wont you come home?" she asked, her voice pained.

He looked her and shrugged. She turned away from him and buried her face into the pillows. He leant over and kissed her black hair and then slipped his arms around her waist. She didn't pull away but her body was tense and rigid.

"If it means that much to you, I'll come home," he whispered.

"I don't want you to come home because I want you too, I want you to come home because you want too," she replied darkly.

"I want to come home," he said. He sat up and leant against the white suede headboard. "I can go by my place and pick up my things and be back here this afternoon."

"I don't want you-"

"I want to come home, Betty. I am coming home. Maybe we don't need time apart to heal, maybe we need time together," he said. "How are we supposed to fix this if we're apart, right?"

"Right," she said, finally. She sounded defeated even though it was exactly what she had wanted.

"Right," Daniel affirmed. Betty rolled over and looked up at him. He offered her a smile and she returned it, ever so slightly. He leant down and kissed her on the forehead. "I just have to go into the office for a little while then I'll go to the apartment, get my stuff and I'll be back later this afternoon."

"Okay," Betty agreed. She watched Daniel finish getting ready and just as he was about to walk out the door, she stopped him. "Daniel, you can come back on one condition."

"What is it?" he asked.

"I want you to sell the other apartment," she said in a voice that invited no argument.

"Absolutely," he nodded affirmatively. "Anything you want."

"Good," she said. Her voice conveyed power but above that, it conveyed happiness. She had won the argument, the only argument that really mattered. She had managed to get him home.

"_You're home late," Betty said. Daniel turned on the light and found her sitting at the kitchen table, her hands around an empty mug. She looked tired, sitting alone in a tan high-waisted skirt and sleeveless black top. Her hair was loose and flowing and she had what she called her party make-up on. Daniel walked over and kissed her on the forehead but she recoiled. "You smell like a distillery."_

"_I had a couple of drinks after work at the Donna Karan party," he shrugged. "Sorry. I didn't know I wasn't allowed too."_

"_Oh, you mean the Donna Karan party that you and I were supposed to go to together? The party that I made the girls nanny stay behind for? You mean that party?" she snapped._

"_Is that why you're all dressed up? Calm down. It's not like it's a big deal," he said._

"_It is a huge deal to me. You know I haven't been out since Carmen was born. Besides, it isn't about that," Betty huffed. "It's about your 'plus-one.'"_

"_What plus-one?" he asked, sitting down at the table and loosening his tie. He had a feeling it was going to be a long night._

"_Oh, come on, Daniel. I cant believe you thought you could hide it from me. I know all about the brunette. Cristina told me and even Amanda called me but I think she was more interested in hurting me," Betty said. "What about the damn brunette, Daniel?"_

"_Her name is Hannah. She's my new assistant. I took her along as a favour," Daniel answered._

"_Why would Amanda call me then?" Betty asked._

"_Because she's a troublemaker?" he suggested. He rolled his eyes. "Amanda was on two weeks holiday. She didn't know about Hannah. That's why. Look, if we're going to fight can we at least move into the bedroom?"_

_He got up and walked into the bedroom. Betty stayed in the kitchen for a little while longer. When she got to the room, Daniel had changed and was brushing his teeth. Betty perched on the end of the bed until he exited._

"_Did you sleep with her?" Betty asked._

"_What? No!" Daniel exclaimed. "Why would you think that? She is just my assistant."_

"_I was JUST your assistant," Betty yelled. "Not only was I just your assistant but I was your ugly, plain, poor assistant. I bet Hannah is gorgeous."_

"_It doesn't matter if she's gorgeous. I am married to you and I love you. Why are you being so paranoid?" he asked._

"_Because I know you. Daniel Meade, I know what you are like," she whispered._

"_I can't believe you think that about me, Betty. You say you know me but you of all people should know me better than that. I would never cheat on you."_

"_Yes, you would! __You are just like your father!" she screamed. His face fell and he chuckled lightly. "You're never home anymore. You don't call me to say where you're going to be. You're going to parties with your assistant instead of me. I'm actually surprised your daughters remember what you look like. I hardly do. Who on earth would blame me for thinking you are having an affair?"_

"_Betty, ouch," he said simply. She lowered her head and blinked as if she couldn't believe what she had just said. Daniel walked over to her and knelt in front of her. She looked up at him and their gazes locked but it wasn't in love, it was in pure, unadulterated rage. "So what if I am cheating on you, Betty? You said it yourself. You know what I'm like. I am just like my father. Besides, you are nothing like my mother. Who could blame me for wanting to sleep with someone else? I have models hitting on me every second of the day. I could have any woman I want so why would I want you?"_

"_And I could have had a decent person. One who treated me well and who loved me for who I am instead of an arsehole like you who only loved me because no-one else had faith in him," Betty hissed back. "No-one else wanted you, Daniel. Not for a real relationship. Even Amanda eventually turned away from you. Even Amanda didn't want you. She wanted to use you to get ahead. That's all they want from you. Fifteen minutes of fame and a bit of sex."_

"_At least people wanted THAT from me," he shot-back. He stood up and began pacing the room. "At least people wanted to sleep with me."_

"_I would rather have people hate me than just want to have sex with me!" Betty yelled. Daniel walked over to where she was sitting and slumped against the side of the bed. She stood up and began to pace the floor in front of him. "I cant believe I trusted you. I thought you'd changed. I thought things would be different when we were married. Things have been different for the past five years. What changed?"_

"_Oh, come on. You have two kids. You work. You're busy. The last thing you want to do is make love to your husband. A man's gotta get it from somewhere," he jeered. He wondered where these words were coming from. He wasn't even having an affair but that didn't stop him. She had told him he was like his father and that was the worst insult ever and on top of that, she had accused him of sleeping around. It was immature but he was determined to hurt her as much as she hurt him. "And who can blame me? Look at you. You have let yourself go. And you practically asked for this. You married me and you knew what I was like."_

"_I thought you said you weren't having an affair," Betty said._

"_I'm not but if I was, you can understand why I would," he huffed. Betty laughed and then let out a little scream of frustration._

"_Are you ashamed of me, Daniel?" she asked._

"_Are you ashamed of me, Betty?" he asked._

"_I cannot believe you!" she screamed._

"_Cant believe what part about me? That I've changed?" he asked._

"_I cant believe that you have turned around and put this back on me! You never ever take responsibility for your actions. What is your problem, Daniel? Why are we even having this fight?" she asked._

"_You started it, Betty," he reminded her. "You are the one who told me I was like my father and that I had never changed."_

"_I never said that," she hissed._

"_You implied it. That is just as bad," he said. "Even worse, you accused me of having an affair."_

"_Who can blame me?" she mimicked. "You were always irresponsible and judgmental. You are shallow and you're not even that smart. You don't have any redeeming features so why should I think any differently of you? You were always a cad, always the playboy. Daniel, you never cared about who you hurt as long as it wasn't you."_

"_I care about hurting you, Betty!" he yelled._

"_I thought I did see the good in you but I was wrong, Daniel, because there is no good in you anymore," she replied, ignoring him. She slumped against the wall opposite him, her legs sticking out in front of her. his legs were crossed so there was no danger of them touching. The room grew silent and tense. All that could be heard was there heavy-breathing and a hum that seemed to imply tension. "Do you really think I've let myself go?"_

"_No. I think you are beautiful and I always have. I actually think you look better than ever," he replied, his voice breaking. "Do you really think I'm a bad guy?"_

"_No," she admitted quietly._

"_Betty?" Daniel called out. He crawled over to her but she turned her head away from him. He reached out to stroke her hair and she flinched. "I'm so sorry, Betty."_

"_I can't bear to touch you, Daniel," she whispered. "I just cannot bear to touch you right now."_

"_I guess I should go then," he said._

"_Daniel, no!" she whimpered. "Don't go. Please, don't go. Stay. We can work this out. We have to work this out."_

"_I cant stay, Betty," he replied. He walked to the door and turned back. "For what it's worth, I'm not having an affair and I'm still the same good guy I was."_

"_I know," she whispered but it was too late. He had left the room. She heard his footsteps going down the hall, heard the door open and close. She wanted to yell out his name, wanted to scream for him, wanted to run out and stop him, wanted to do anything but sit here on the floor. But she was spent, exhausted and worn-out. She couldn't even cry. So she crawled over to their bed and somehow hoisted herself in. She fell into an exhausted sleep._

_She was still wearing her skirt and heels._


	5. Something It's Not

**Ugly Betty**

**And I Feel Fine**

**A/N:** YOU are the most awesome, bestest reviewers ever. Don't expect for Daniel and Betty to get better right away but things will get better eventually. I did write Mexican instead of Spanish before but that was my mistake. I got confusled. Keep reviewing! It absolutely makes my day. Happy reading!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own nor am I affiliated with Ugly Betty in anyway. I also don't own the lyrics to 'Make This Go On Forever.' They belong to Snow Patrol.

* * *

Chapter Five: Please Don't Let This Turn Into Something It's Not

* * *

_We have got through so much worse than this before  
What's so different this time that you can't ignore  
You say it is much more than just my last mistake  
And we should spend some time apart for both our sakes  
**"Make This Go On Forever." **Snow Patrol._

"_You've had a charmed life, kid. This is just nature's way of repaying you and Daniel for being too happy," Hilda chirped into the phone._

"_You and Santos are happy and you two don't have fights that cause him to leave home for three months," Betty pointed. Hilda chuckled and Betty could have sworn she was shaking her head._

"_Oh, Betty, you have no idea," she sighed. She chuckled again and then a piercing scream could be heard. Hilda groaned and then yelled something out to which a male voice answered. "Betty, I gotta go. Things with Daniel will work themselves out, okay?"_

"_Okay. Bye," Betty sighed._

"Hilda, it's me," Betty chirped into the phone.

"Betty, I can't talk right now. Eden has bubble gum stuck in her hair and Justin is freaking out," Hilda said.

"Oh, I just wanted to tell you that Daniel is coming home," Betty said.

"Well, I guess that's good," Hilda said, eventually. Hilda never really had liked her sister's husband and the fight, even though Betty felt like it was her fault, hadn't helped Hilda change her mind. She remembered when Hilda had been her biggest cheerleader and hugest support but then she and Santos had gotten married and had had a daughter and her family took up all of her time which Betty also understood but sometimes, she missed her sister and she really wanted to talk to her. "Look, I really wish I could talk, Betty but I've got to go. Call me later?"

"Sure," Betty sighed and picked up the phone. She would have liked to talk to Hilda a little while longer but she went to her second support and soon a Scottish voice came across the line.

"Betty, I don't have time to talk right now. I'm trying to fit models for the Sedona shoot. This just proves to me that models only come in one… model. No pun intended. They are all tall and skinny. Can I call you back later, love?" she said, not taking a breath.

"Oh, it's okay. I just wanted to tell you that Daniel is coming home," she said.

"Ooh, that's great news," she said. Betty paused and Christina continued tentatively. "Isn't it?"

"I don't know. I guess its good news. I mean, it is great news but I feel like our struggle is just beginning. The fight was one thing but having to move on and get on with life is something else. But you're busy. We'll talk later, okay?" Betty answered.

"Noo. Don't worry about the fitting. Like I said, I could probably do it without even seeing them. Talk to me, love," Christina replied.

"I sort of said all I had to say," Betty admitted.

"Things might be weird at first but I'm sure they'll be back to their old selves soon. The only problem you and Daniel have is that you love each other too much. It doesn't seem like its possible or like it's a problem but it's a huge someone because when you love someone, you put them on such a high pedestal that when they do one small thing, they fall so far and it takes awhile to get them back up there," Christina explained.

"How did you get so smart?" Betty smiled softly. It made a lot of sense actually, what Christina had said.

"Oh, it's not me. It's the booze talking," she replied quickly. Betty smiled again. "Okay, I am going to go now. Call me later because I want to hear all the juicy details."

"I will," Betty answered. "Good luck with the model models."

"Thanks, love," Christina said and then Betty heard the unmistakable click of her friend hanging up.

She sighed and watched as Iris and Carmen quietly played on the rug. She reached over and pulled a piece of pink string out of Carmen's hand before the baby could deposit it in her mouth.

"Do you want to play, Mummy?" Iris asked. She looked exhausted, much how Betty expected she herself looked.

"I have a better idea," Betty answered, stretching her arms over her head. "How about we all go into Mama's room and snuggle?"

"Can we watch a movie?" Iris asked.

"Sure, we can watch a movie. How about you pick one out while I put Carmen down?" Betty suggested. Iris nodded and slowly crawled over to the huge stack of children's DVDs that they had accumulated over the years. She surveyed them with much care and clucked her tongue a few times before pulling out a few.

"Mama, go put Carmen in bed," she said, not looking up. "And stop looking at me. It's freaking me way out."

"You are spending way too much time with your cousin," Betty muttered under her breath. Her daughter was certainly acting more than her four years of age. It was cute but scary to see her growing up so fast. It was a constant reminder that things would change frequently and that her girls wouldn't be little forever.

"Mama, are you done yet?" Iris yelled from the bedroom. Betty kissed Carmen on the cheek and then closed the door softly behind. She went into her bedroom to find that Iris had claimed her father's side of the bed and was busy making herself comfortable in the pillows. Betty hurriedly put the DVD in (Cinderella, of course but Peter Pan was next to it) and then crawled into bed next to her daughter.

"Are you comfortable, sweetheart?" Betty asked as Iris cuddled up to her and absent-mindedly stroked her mother's hair.

"Yep," Iris answered. "Mama, is Daddy going to come home again?"

"He is," Betty answered evenly.

"Is he going to go away again?" Iris asked.

"I hope not, mija," Betty whispered. Even though she would teach her children her father's native language, it was rare for her to address them in it. That was Hilda and Ignacio's thing. Hilda, in particular, would go off on long tangents of Spanish but it just wasn't Betty's thing. She spoke in English and she thought in English but sometimes when she was deep in thought, a Spanish endearment or term would pop out. It was linked to her mother. Her mother had spoken predominantly in Spanish and Betty just hadn't the heart to after she had passed away. When she was feeling her deepest pain or her highest elation, that was when her Spanish would slip out.

"I missed him and it makes me sad when he's not here," Iris continued.

"I know. Me too," Betty agreed. She kissed her daughter on the forehead and then squeezed her hard. "I'm sorry you were sad."

"I was only sad when I heard you and Daddy yelling," Iris explained. "And I was scared."

'Why didn't you tell me you heard us fighting?" Betty asked. She picked the remote control up and paused Cinderella.

"Because I didn't," Iris answered, reminding Betty that as quickly as she was growing up, she still was a little girl.

"Did you hear anything?" Betty asked, keeping composed.

"No. Just you and Daddy yelling," Iris said. She yawned. "Can you please put Cinderella back on?"

"Sure," Betty answered, pressing play. She watched Iris watching the television and both their eyes began to droop. Minutes later, they were asleep and that was how Daniel found them when he came in two hours later.

He quietly unpacked his clothes into the drawers, not noticing that Betty had woken up.

"Hey," she said, opening one eye and watching him. He turned and offered her a smile. "What's the time?"

"Its nearly five-thirty," he answered. He watched in amusement as Betty sat up and raised an arm to her heart. "I guess you weren't expecting to sleep that late?"

"No, I wasn't expecting to sleep at all," she admitted. She quietly crawled out of bed, being careful not to wake her sleeping daughter. "What do you want for dinner?"

"Indian," he answered. Betty rolled her eyes.

"I was going to cook something."

"Why cook? I like Indian. Plus, I bet you don't feel like cooking after being asleep for so long," he said.

"True," she answered. "I am going to get Carmen and you can order dinner."

He pulled her back after she brushed past him and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Its good to be back," he said and she smiled.

-

"I am exhausted," Betty yawned. Daniel laughed at her. "Why are you laughing at me?"

"Betty, you slept half the day," he pointed out.

"That is why I am so tired," she said, yawning to prove her point. She stood up and stretched. "Are you coming to bed?"

He hesitated and Betty's face fell.

"I don't know if I'm ready for that yet," he said.

"What do you mean 'not ready for that yet?'" Betty asked, with a small smile. This was ridiculous. Things were just supposed to fall back into place.

"I just thought I might stay in the spare room for a little while," he admitted. "Please don't get mad at me and don't question it because I don't really have a reason, I just think it's the right thing."

"But Daniel…" she started. "I just thought that…"

"I know what you thought and I'm sorry," he said.

"I guess it's just good that you're home," Betty answered, pasting a very fake smile onto her face.

"Betty…"

"I just want you to forgive me because you haven't forgiven me,'' she whispered.

"I'm sorry. I want too but I think we're just going to have to take it slow," he replied.

"I guess I'm just confused. Things were going well," she said.

"It was one night and yes it went well but it isn't enough to be able to just put it all behind us," Daniel said. "I know you want it to be. I want it to be but it isn't."

"I know, I know," she said but she still seemed confused. She sighed shakily and offered him another very small smile. "I'm going to bed. I guess I'll see you in the morning."

"Hey," Daniel said. Betty turned and he saw the tears in her eyes. "Betty, it won't always be like this. I promise."

"Okay," she agreed. "Good night."

"Good night," he said. He watched her slowly walk to their bedroom and he sighed. He hated disappointing her. He really did. He was glad to be home but he just couldn't go straight back to the way they were. He wanted it to be but it just wasn't that easy. He got up off the couch and walked down the hall into one of the spare rooms. The sheets were freezing cold as he slipped into them. He could hear Betty's ragged sobs from down the hall and it broke his heart. Before he could stop himself, he found himself walking down the hall and into their bedroom. "Oh, Betty."

"I'm okay," she said wiping her tears away. "I really am. I just hate what this small, stupid fight has turned into. I get why you had to go away right after we had the fight but I don't get why you have to be so distant now."

"We just do," he said, a slight tinge of frustration in his voice. "Do you want me to stay in here tonight?"

"I just want you to stay in here every night," she exploded. "Daniel, please. Just sleep in here with me. This is your bed, OUR bed. You are supposed to sleep in here, with me. It means so much to me to have you sleeping with me."

"Then I will," he sighed.

"Really?" she asked. He responded by lacing his arms around her and pulling her closer to him. He felt her smile and then she placed a kiss on his chest.


	6. I Am Learning Still

**Ugly Betty**

**And I Feel Fine**

**A/N:** Hey everyone. I'm sorry it's been so long since I updated. I was on holidays and I've been busy since I came back. I think I'll only write one or two more chapters. I hope this chapter is okay. Happy reading!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own nor am I affiliated with Ugly Betty in anyway. I also don't own the lyrics to 'Forgive Me.' They are the gloriously, wonderfully talented Missy Higgins' and you should all go and download the song RIGHT NOW!

* * *

Chapter Six: I Am Learning Still

* * *

'_**Forgive Me.'**__ Missy Higgins._

"Daniel, I have some woman on the phone for you," Hannah drawled. She was pouty and sulky today and it was driving Daniel insane. "She won't tell me who she is."

"Put it right through, Hannah," he told the girl. He knew exactly who it was and he picked up the phone with a grin. "What's up, Betty?"

"Daniel, it's Betty," she said. She paused and he waited for her. "How did you know it was me?"

"Uh, I'm psychic," he offered. "Betty, who else would call me up and refuse to tell my assistant who she is?"

"Claire," Betty offered. "Alexis."

"Hannah knows them already. Anyway, why did you call?" he asked, smiling.

"Well, the Met's Costume Institute Gala is on tonight," she started.

"As I already know," he interrupted. "Half the staff has gone to get ready. Some of them are even over at 'Vogue' begging for a last minute invite."

"MODE didn't get enough?" Betty asked.

"MODE got plenty. It's the rest of the building that didn't," Daniel explained.

"Anyway," Betty said, moving on. "I've got this great dress that Christina made for me and it seems like such a shame to waste it so I was wondering, do you want to go with me?"

"Like on a date?" he joked. "Like as in you like me more than a friend."

"What? Who told you?" Betty joked along. "It was meant to be a surprise but I mean if you don't want to go with me…"

"I'll pick you up at seven," he said, before he could stop himself. "I mean I'll see you at home in about an hour and we'll leave at seven."

"Daniel, it's five. I don't think that will be long enough for me to get ready," she gasped.

"You will be fine," he grinned. "Call Christina. She'll have you done up in no time."

"Fine," she said with a huge sigh. "I'll see you in about an hour."

"Hey Betty?" he called before she could hang up. She didn't answer him but he knew she was still here. "I… love you."

"I love you too, Daniel," she said, her voice slightly higher than normal then Daniel heard the tell-tale click of her hanging up the phone. He leant back in his chair and smiled. Things were looking up.

"Hey, Hannah!" he yelled through the open door. The svelte brunette skulked over and leant one on the doorjamb, the other on her hip, a la Amanda. In fact, Daniel could have sworn Hannah was taking lessons from the blonde.

"Yes, Daniel," she purred.

"Hannah, if my wife rings again, you can put her straight through," he ordered.

"I didn't realise she was your wife," Hannah sputtered.

"It doesn't matter. Now you know," he said. "I suppose you should probably go and get ready for the Gala tonight."

"Oh, thank you!" she breathed, clutching her hands to her chest. "I have this great Chanel dress that that weird wardrobe lately leant me and it takes hours to get into."

"That 'weird wardrobe lady' is my wife's best friend," Daniel said, pointedly but Hannah just shrugged.

"How come your wife never started ringing before anyway?" she asked.

"She never had a need too," was all Daniel offered. "You'd better go, Hannah. I'll see you tonight."

"See you tonight," she purred, becoming seductive again. Then she pranced out and bent over to pick up her bag right in front of Daniel's window. He caught a glimpse of her tanned, toned legs and their almost impossibly short black satin shorts. She turned and waved at him and he waved back.

She was pretty but she didn't compare to his wife.

-

"Betty, Daniel, over here!" the photographers called. Daniel rolled his eyes but then put a protective arm around his wife. She nestled comfortably in and smiled up at him before they both turned their attention to the cameras. Of course everybody wanted to see what the wife of the editor-in-chief of the country's leading fashion magazine was wearing and Betty Meade did not disappoint. She wore a long silk dress with a split up the leg that ended just before things got provocative. Over the silk draped chiffon, the same deep shade of purple as the dress, with silver patterns embroidered in a shiny silver thread. The cap sleeves were made of a lighter purple chiffon and off-set the ever-so-slightly slightly scooped neckline. Her hair was in a simple half-up, half-down style and her make-up was understated and elegant. She wore the pair of silver heels she had worn to her wedding and the only jewelry she wore was her wedding ring and a thin silver cuff a few centimeters above her elbow.

"Betty, who designed your dress?" a reporter who had waved them over asked.

"Christina McKinney," Betty answered, happy to promote her friend.

"You often wear her designs," the lady noted.

"I think Christina makes the most beautiful and original clothes. Her dresses are so feminine and so delicate and I find them very flattering. She designs for all women, for real women, but you can't help but feel like a princess in one of her dresses and after all, isn't that what every woman wants?" Betty reeled off. Daniel grinned proudly. "Besides, she's one of my very best friends and she lets me keep all the clothes."

"There have been some rumours of a rift between you two and we couldn't help but notice that Daniel has been turning up alone to events recently. Care to comment on that?" the next reporter asked.

"I think every marriage goes through its trials and tribulations," Daniel said, taking over. "Our marriage is no different but we're happy and we're doing well. We've had problems but we've gotten over them. I still love her as much as I did when I married her. That's all anyone can ask for her."

Betty seemed to move closer together to Daniel and as they moved on from the reporters and the photographers, she kept her arm around him and placed her hand in his. When they had entered the building and were walking down a long hallway to get to the exhibition room, Betty spoke.

"What did you mean when you said 'we've had problems but we've gotten over them?'" she asked.

"Exactly what I said," he said, nuzzling her neck. She giggled and then slapped him away.

"No, Daniel, seriously," she sighed.

"No, Betty, seriously," he mimicked in a high-pitched voice. He grabbed her arms and turned her around so they were facing each other. "The other night you said you wanted me to forgive you and I have forgiven you and I am sorry it's taken me so long. You were always a better person than me and you always had a bigger heart. I don't know why we let things get so bad but I want you to know that I'm all in. I am all in."

"I'm all in too," she whispered. She stood on her tip-toes, even in her heels he still towered over her, and kissed him firmly. They broke away and smiled at each other. There were catcalls and cheers from a group that was just entering the hallway. Betty and Daniel smiled sheepishly at them and then joined their hands together and continued the walk.

"You know I don't know if I'm ever going to get the hang of this being married thing," he admitted. Betty gave him a small sheepish smile and hung her head before looking up at him and crinkling her nose.

"Me either. It's so much harder than it looks on T.V. but if it counts, I love being married," she replied. Someone called out her name and an already tipsy looking Christina was waving at her. "Shall we?"

"Absolutely. She's one of the only people I can actually stand in this room," he agreed. A waiter swooped past and Daniel expertly scooped up three glasses. He handed one to Betty and she took a sip.

"Daniel, I don't think Christina really needs anymore," Betty pointed out. "Not until it gets a little later."

"No but the guy who's attached to her mouth at the moment might," he laughed. Betty peered closer and saw that indeed there was a man attached to her Scottish friends lips.

"Eww," she intoned. "He has his hand on her butt."

-

"Who is Maggie?" Betty asked as Christina and Daniel carried on an animated conversation before her. They ignored her so she turned to Amanda who was lounging on the seat next to Betty's. The MODE component of the party had moved onto a club and a small group of them was ensconced in a corner of couches and coffee tables littered with glasses and a few red lipstick-stained napkins. "Mandy, who is Maggie?"

"Maggie is the new me," she sighed. "For when I get replaced. It's not like I need the money to raise my child or anything."

"Hen- I mean, the baby's dad isn't going to let it starve, I'm sure, or you," Betty sputtered. "You get the drift. Why do you need to keep your job?"

"Because he isn't going to be a part of my life," she snarled.

"Amanda, why not?" Betty asked. "I thought…"

"He'll be a part of the baby's life but not mine. He doesn't want anything to do with me and that means that he'll support the baby but he won't support me. I'm not saying I'm a gold-digger or anything like that but it would've been nice to, you know, eat occasionally," Amanda explained. Betty nodded and patted Amanda's head 'comfortingly.' "If you weren't drunk I would totally claw your eyes out right now."

"Do you love… him?" Betty asked suddenly. "Because at that party where you two got into that huge fight, it kind of looked like you were in love with him and even though you started the fight, you looked devastated."

"No. I don't love him. He's a nerd. He wears glasses," she said. Betty rolled her eyes. Amanda closed hers and sighed. "He won't go out with me because he thinks I'm ashamed of him and he said that he won't even consider it until I tell people he's the father."

"So tell them. Face it, you don't have much of a reputation anymore anyway. I mean, you're getting old and you're still just the receptionist plus you're a skank and you got pregnant and people think you don't even know who the father is. You're looks aren't going to last either," Betty explained.

"Shut up," Amanda hissed but it was half-hearted. She grew quiet and after a few moments, she pulled out her phone. Before she dialed she signaled over to where Daniel was sitting with Christina. Betty followed her eyes over and saw Hannah sitting precariously close to Daniel. She had a hand placed on his leg and Betty saw that he was trying to squirm away.

"That bitch is not going to get away with this," Betty huffed. "I'm his husband and I only get to touch his leg."

"You go girl," Amanda purred, ignoring the obvious mistakes.

Betty walked over and climbed onto Daniel's lap, making sure she sat on the assistant's hand. Daniel hid a smirk into his wife's purple gown.

"Oh, I am so sorry," she gushed, taking the girls hand into her own and squeezing it tight. "I didn't realise your hand was there. Where it shouldn't be because it's my husbands lap and I am the only get to touch his leg or I'm the only one who gets too or something like that."

"Hannah, this is Betty," Daniel said, introducing the two women in his life to each other.

"We've met," Hannah said, wrenching her hand from Betty's. "I guess I'll go find my friends."

She sashayed off, her white and black feathered skirt fluttering behind her. Betty slipped off Daniel and onto the couch next to him.

"Did you like the way I did that?" she asked, her face alight and her cheeks flushed.

"You're drunk," he slurred and she giggled. Christina had turned her back on them and was making out with the same guy as before. He was twenty-five and an up and coming men's clothing designer. "I think you're funny when you're drunk."

"I just think that assistants should keep their bosses off their hands. It is common knowledge that all assistants are notorious whores and want to get their claws into their bosses," she said, nodding for effect. He gave her a pointed look and she rolled her eyes. "You weren't married and you hit on me."

"I did not," he argued.

"Did too," she replied. "You hit on me and then I laughed because I thought were joking and then you weren't."

"I don't believe a word you are saying," he laughed. He leaned over and put his mouth close to her ear. "Thank you for saving me from the whorey assistant, my whorey wife."

"Did you just call me a whore?" she squealed.

"You called yourself a whore," he replied. "Remember?"

"I know what I said but it wasn't supposed to mean me," she answered. He laughed again and then kissed her. "I guess that makes up for it a bit. You might need to do that a few more times but."

"I concur that it might help wholeheartedly," he said, kissing her again and again and again. He moved his lips to her neck and she squealed in delight. She looked over at Amanda who huffed and stuck her fingers down her throat.

"You two make me sick," she said.


	7. Drown In a Pool of You

**Ugly Betty**

**And I Feel Fine**

**A/N:** Here it is. The last chapter. I just feel like if I drag it on anymore, I'll ruin it and turn it into a clichéd romance and I don't want to do that. Thank you so much for you reviews! They have made this such a joy to write. I have a few more stories in the pipe-line so look out for them. Thus ends my self-promotion and begins the end of the story. Happy reading!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own nor am I affiliated with Ugly Betty in anyway. I also don't own the lyrics to 'Warm Whispers' by the talented Missy Higgins. She is my current obsession.

* * *

Chapter Seven: Drown In a Pool of You

* * *

_Your warm whispers  
Out of the dark they carry my heart  
Your warm whispers  
Into the dawn they carry me through  
And I'm weeping warm honey and milk  
That you stay surrounding me, surrounding me_

"Daniel?" Betty muttered. She moved her hand slightly and felt his warm body. "Daniel, my head hurts and my ears are ringing."

"Henry is the father," Daniel said in monotone. Betty blearily sat-up next to him. He looked as wrecked as she felt.

"What are you talking about?" she scoffed. "Henry the father of Amanda's baby? What are you thinking?"

"She got up on the podium and told everybody last night," he answered. Betty's face widened in surprise.

"But she wasn't even drunk. Why would she do that?" she asked.

"I believe you told her too."

"No I think she told me that he wouldn't even consider dating her or anything more than that if she didn't tell people the baby was his so no, I don't think it was me who told her to do it," Betty replied. "Was Henry there?"

"He was. She rang him and demanded he come. I don't think he was happy about his unborn child being in a bar but he seemed rather chuffed when Amanda made her little announcement," Daniel answered.

"Since when have you used the word 'chuffed?'?" Betty giggled.

"I don't know. Probably never," Daniel admitted. "Chuffed just seems to describe Henry when he's happy but."

"I'd never really thought about it but the more I do, the more I realise you are so right," Betty said.

"Betty, please stop thinking about Henry," Daniel ordered. She rolled her eyes but changed the subject.

"I'd better call Amanda later. Tell me, what happened with Christina and that boy?" Betty wanted to know.

"You seriously don't remember?" Daniel asked in aghast.

"Umm, no. Exactly how drunk was I?" Betty asked.

"How would I know? I wasn't exactly sober myself," Daniel replied. "I just remember most of it."

"Well tell me what happened anyway," Betty demanded.

"They got escorted from the building when Linden started unbuttoning Christina's top," Daniel told her in glee. "It was great. Drinks were being thrown anyway and Christina was yelling at people groping Linden's butt the whole time. It was so great. I can't believe you don't remember. You even started yelling at one of the security guards yourself and I had to kiss you to stop you."

"What's a Linden?" Betty asked.

"Christina's boyfriend," Daniel answered. "Did you hear me, Betty? I said you started yelling at one of the guard's too."

"Is Linden even a real name?" she asked, ignoring him. He looked at her and she rolled her eyes. "I highly doubt I yelled at a security guard."

"You told him that you were with the fashion police and that it gave you more power than him," Daniel laughed. He was laughing so hard at the memory that he had tears in his eyes.

"Whatever. I don't believe you," she said defensively.

"Well you did," he answered. Betty groaned and slid back into bed pulling Daniel down with her. "Betty, we can't stay in bed all day. We have to get the girls up."

"The girls are fine. They can fend for themselves. Besides, I feel wretched. I just need a little bit longer," Betty groaned. Carmen chose that exact moment to squawk and show her mother that she was not fine any longer. Betty groaned and found herself crying a little bit. She and Daniel crawled out of bed and made their way into the baby's room.

"Mummy, Carmen is awake," Iris said. She saw her father and she squealed. "Daddy!"

Daniel and Betty both winced and went to cover their ears. Iris ran at Daniel and launched herself into his arms.

"Iris, use your indoor voice please. Mummy and Daddy aren't feeling very well today," Betty said as she unfastened Carmen's nappy and set about changing her daughter. "Hey, why don't you and Daddy go and get breakfast ready."

"Okay!" Iris yelled before she remembered she had to use her indoor voice. She turned to her parents and whispered, "I mean, okay."

She scampered down the hall and Daniel followed her. He might have been the boss at work but it was easy to see who the bosses around here… were and he wasn't one of them.

Betty changed Carmen quickly and then walked down the hall into the kitchen were Daniel was standing amidst carnage and mess. Betty set Carmen down in her high-chair then walked in to survey the damage.

"Oh my," she said. "What happened here?"

"I tried to cook," Iris answered. Daniel had the same shocked expression on his face.

"I thought you were watching her," Betty hissed.

"I had to pee," Daniel shot-back. "When you've gotta go, you've gotta go."

"Not when your four-year-old is about to cook breakfast you don't," Betty replied. She sighed and shook her head. "Okay, change of plans. Iris, you take Daddy down to the shop and we'll have something yummy for breakfast like pancakes or bagels. You can pick as long as it isn't ice-cream or fairy floss."

"But Mummy, I'm in my pyjamas," Iris told her.

"It's a special occasion," Betty said, the tone in her voice telling her daughter not to argue anymore. Betty turned to Daniel and prodded him in the stomach. "Go put some clothes on and then get me breakfast. I'll stay here and clean this mess up."

"Sorry, Betty," Daniel shrugged. Betty's eyes softened.

"It isn't your fault. I should have known this would happen. I know what Iris is like in the kitchen. Now go! I am hungry," she said. She pecked him on the lips and then turned around to survey the damage some more. She had Carmen fed and the messed cleaned up in no time. Betty was an expert when it came to cleaning up messy kitchens. She even had time to shower and get changed and when she found herself sitting on the couch as Carmen played happily with her blocks, she decided to call Amanda.

"Hello," a male voice cheerily answered the phone.

"Henry?" Betty squeaked.

"Betty?" he asked back. "Hi. How are you?"

"I'm, um, good. Is Mandy there?" Betty asked. She wondered why she had called Amanda 'Mandy' but it was too late to worry about that now.

"I'll just go get her for you," he said. He paused. "Betty, is this weird because I know Amanda is your friend and we used to go out so if it's weird…"

"It's a little bit late for that now, Henry," Betty said lightly. "The only thing weird about this is that it is you and Amanda. You're a gentleman and she's a man-eater."

"I don't know. Deep down I think she just wants the same things that every other woman wants and I think it's kind of cool that I get to give it to her," Henry said. Betty practically felt him cringe and she smiled to herself. "In a completely non-sexual way. I meant I get to be the one who… I'll just get her."

Betty waited and hummed to herself as she waited for Henry to find Amanda.

"Well, Betty, I guess you aren't that much of a grandma after all," Amanda said as soon as she came onto the phone. Old jokes died hard, Betty knew. "I swear, I thought you were going to rip the poor guys head off."

"I don't even know what you're talking about," Betty said haughtily.

"Either you are in denial or you don't remember. Either works for me. I can tell people anything and you cant even correct them. Anyway, I know you didn't call to chat to me or ask how my feet are feeling after wearing heels all night or even to give me more fodder for the gossip monster's so why don't you cut to the chase," Amanda replied.

"Did I really tell you get up on the podium and tell everyone that Henry was the father?" Betty asked.

"No. I did that myself. You told me to take my top off and flash him because that would get his attention," Amanda answered. "Is that all you rang for?"

"I was actually wondering if this meant things were going to be a little more permanent for you two," Betty replied.

"I don't know. Maybe. I hope so," Amanda answered. "He saw me throw-up last night and he didn't leave so I guess that is something."

"I hope things work out for you two," Betty said.

"I know you do, Betty," Amanda answered, her voice softening. Henry yelled something in the background. "I've got to go. Bye, security guard basher."

Betty hung up and shook her head. Henry and Amanda spun her out. She didn't have long to think about. Daniel and Iris entered the apartment carrying bags of steaming food.

"What took you so long?" Betty asked. "I had time to do a million things while you were gone."

"I ran into someone," Daniel said rolling his eyes as he unpacked their breakfast. "They talked for ages and then we couldn't find a place that did take-away breakfast so you are lucky to have all of this sitting in front of you."

"Wow guys, this looks amazing," Betty said. "You did a good job. Now, let's eat."

So they ate their first family breakfast in a long time and the first of a great deal more.

In the years to come as the girls got older and grew-up, as Daniel and Betty changed and learned and loved, they would often look back in the time that they had almost thrown their marriage away. Every time they fought, they were determined to patch things up as quickly as they could. They would never be apart again. They would never want to be apart. They had loved and they had fought, they had been broken and they had been fixed but most of all they had loved and they had loved. In the end, love what was kept them together. The kind of love it is said most people never find but was quintessentially the kind of love that kept most people together all over the world. They had nearly thrown the best thing away but they hadn't.

-

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Daniel whispered in the dark. Betty's head was on his chest and he played with her hair.

"You'd probably be a lot hungrier and have less clean clothes," she murmured back.

"I'm serious," he said.

"So am I," she replied but he heard the laughter in her voice. "You know how I feel about you, Daniel. I am so blown away but how much I feel for you. Everyday I am blown away at how I can love you more than I already do but somehow, I do love you more."

"I think you are wonderful and beautiful and a great writer and an amazing mother and I love how you keep me on my toes and you keep me warm in bed at night and I love waking up next to you and I love making you coffee in the morning or bringing you aspirin when you have headaches," he gushed. "I even love it when you're sick because then you let me take care of you and I like to take care of you."

"I'll let you take care of me more often if you like," Betty offered. She was touched and happy, unbelievably happy.

"Just never go anywhere, okay? Stay here forever," he said.

"I'll never go anywhere," she answered.

-

One day fifteen years later, Betty Meade found herself standing outside the building that her husband had become the king of, the ruler of, the boss of.

_Swish._

She stood back outside the building that had offered her the very best and the very worst moments of her life.

_Swish._

She stood back outside the building that had started her career, ended it then revived it yet again.

_Swish._

She stood back outside the building that had been there for as long as anyone could remember and would be there for longer still.

_Swish._

She stood back outside the building that held the man she loved with all her being and the man that loved her with all his might.

_Swish._

She stood back outside the building and knew it wasn't even a decision she needed to make anymore. As long as she and Daniel were alive, she would always stand outside any building he was in and she would wait as long as it took.

_Swish._

The door opened and Daniel exited. He saw Betty and he smiled. She smiled back at him and they walked to each other. They met and they hugged and they kissed. After so many years, they were still so happy and still so in love.

And they felt fine. They felt so fine. They felt more fine than they ever had before.


End file.
